When it comes to gear I'm more interested in the process of using it (the workflow) over the amount of features it has. If I have fun using it & it inspires creativity I'll use it more than anything else I have even if I have other gear that's faster with more options. I have samplers that can do a lot more than my 404sx, yet the sx is my most used & loved piece of gear. But.......

I've been watching the OP-1 for years & I FINALLY bought one (I'll have it next week). I'm soooo excited!! It seems like it's a very inspiring piece of gear & I think I will have a blast using it. I know I'm getting a head of myself, but I see it taking the sx's place as most inspirational for me....plus using them together?!?! I can't even imagine the fun!!!!

What gear do you have that inspires you? That you have the most fun playing? What about gear that you want?

I know, I know, it's not all about the gear. But I thought it would be cool to hear what gear brings out the creativity in you..... that you enjoy playing.

.. word of warning .. be careful with the headphone and mic ports .. i dropped mine a few days into getting it . the mic jack was all fucked . i fixed it though fingers crossed it wont come out of place anymore

..

its a great peace of gear .. if you work with tempos .. might be good to stick within your bpm range .. mines 95 -110 .. youll understand why sure enough

the tape mode is really good for layering .. the 4 tracks certainly help .. to drop elements in and out . n if you rap or vocalise .. good too set up a vocal loop n build round that ( or external instrument )

plenty of synth models to tweak .. and you can download patches off the internet . the sampling is good . but its an autochop type situation . not like SP at all .. the SP will certainly be a nice "feeder" for samples etc .. the OP record mode operates like multitrack recording with infinite overdubbing . you will really enjoy using it with an SP or any other equipt .. its fantastic

plenty of synth models to tweak .. and you can download patches off the internet . the sampling is good . but its an autochop type situation . not like SP at all .. the SP will certainly be a nice "feeder" for samples etc .. the OP record mode operates like multitrack recording with infinite overdubbing . you will really enjoy using it with an SP or any other equipt .. its fantastic

I always thought of that piece of gear as some kind of Subutex or Methadone for copyrighted sample addicts. If you want to stop sampling and have a lot of possibilities to compose it is the thing. I know I wouldn't stand the pressure, it'll surely hurt my "Art De Vivre" or if you want "workflow". I realize now it feels limited because not being musically trained I'll be facing my own limitations quickly... and with a scared urge to create there is gonna be a wall of them.

Sharris wrote:

When it comes to gear I'm more interested in the process of using it (the workflow) over the amount of features it has. If I have fun using it & it inspires creativity I'll use it more than anything else I have even if I have other gear that's faster with more options.

On what piece of gear are you tripping ? I mean a piece of equipment used as standalone that maybe cannot help you produce an entire track or even a tenth of it but that you could listen to forgetful of time passing.

I always thought of that piece of gear as some kind of Subutex or Methadone for copyrighted sample addicts. If you want to stop sampling and have a lot of possibilities to compose it is the thing. I know I wouldn't stand the pressure, it'll surely hurt my "Art De Vivre" or if you want "workflow". I realize now it feels limited because not being musically trained I'll be facing my own limitations quickly... and with a scared urge to create there is gonna be a wall of them.

That makes sense, I bet that's how it is for some.....it's a little different for me, I actually started making "keyboard beats" before I really got into sampling & will probably use the sampling side of it the most (besides I think the sampling side of it has less limitations than an sp except for memory). I plan to use the synths WITH samples. Actually I just plan on having fun, I think the little guy will take me all over the place, I see it as being really experimental And I actually think it's perfect for people who are not "musically trained". Your ears will tell you if it sounds good or not, at least that's the way I go about it.

Gabanoise_Records wrote:

On what piece of gear are you tripping ? I mean a piece of equipment used as standalone that maybe cannot help you produce an entire track or even a tenth of it but that you could listen to forgetful of time passing.

I'm not sure what you mean by this.......if you mean tripping in a good way as in what you quoted me on, I mentioned that it's the sp404sx. I make full songs on it, but it can't do it alone, it needs sound source's. All tho, it kind of sounds like you're talking about "sound sources" or a synth when you say "a piece of equipment you could listen to forgetful of time passing". & honestly I feel that way about all my synths because I enjoy making sounds..... I can play with my Ms-20 mini & Me50 guitar pedal for hours just twisting knobs & patching cables..... same with electric guitar & bass guitar hooked up to effects.......I love playing with found sounds as well. & can't forget vinyl! If I sample anything I didn't make myself it comes from vinyl. I've loved vinyl since I was a little girl, I love everything about it, the covers, the smell, the crackling sound. But I was born in 79, so it was normal to listen to vinyl when I was young.

honestly I feel that way about all my synths because I enjoy making sounds..... I can play with my Ms-20 mini & Me50 guitar pedal for hours just twisting knobs & patching cables..... same with electric guitar & bass guitar hooked up to effects.......I love playing with found sounds as well. & can't forget vinyl!

Well we do understand each other. That's exactly that : sound sources. I just realized that SkiBeatz will release today his Switched On Bap album made only with modular synths and a hardware sampler. I think this is just what happened. He found a sound source, started tripping on it and then imprinted on it a HipHop structure. But when I say tripping you did understand also it is that moment before framing it all in a recognizable structure, that moment where you ignore your quest but contemplate, manipulate, toy with sound matter ((: It might get censored ) and that piece of gear helps you contemplate in your cherished way. Some appreciate to look at the sky in contrast with the earth, standing on their two feet asking themselves about that line that is the horizon and others, the sky only, lying on the grass and losing themselves in its blue. This is also this moment where you can feel lurking that entrapment made by rules, by this thought about how people could or would perceive you, even by your own prejudice. I just read about 14kt and I usually cite Apollo Brown as one of my reference, even 9th Wonder, when it comes to discussing about the use of computer opposed to a dedicated machine. Of course it is cheaper to use a cracked software but at the same time it is also about challenging the art and the direction it took. When I hear the sound now and what I used to hear it is not anymore about challenging the craft of HipHop but more challenging its form. Nowadays HipHop doesn't question anymore technological boundaries. It did when they were characterized by scarcity and imperfections. At best in this present day it could become the guinea pig of some speech recognition AI. For now we're even sold artificial technological scarcity wandering in some kind of interactive museum. By using computers, those artists I cited came with a new way to do the same thing but following that path others realized how narrow it is to do that same thing with those means and how the industry want to confine them to it. Do you remember Lee Bannon now known as the Dedekind Cut ? He now hardly do something that could be called HipHop. I read a thread about Ahnnu and discovered his sound turned completely experimental. Lately Ras G is following the same route. I think of HipHop as the shell of a more beautiful thing to come. When you see it moulting you think of it dying but it is a rebirth in progress. The cocoon cannot be called a butterfly but for everybody, but the critic analyzing it of course, that cocoon was already a butterfly. Now depends at what phase you feel the magic happened or will happen because HipHop questioned the fabrication of time through history. It incorporated different influences from different periods of time and mutated them in this present where dead rappers rap along living ones awaiting upcoming ones at the corner. Today you can fossilize your beat through an effect filter. The artistic form of HipHop is a forgery, a chimera, something dystopian. I did not say the message is though it can be faked. I'm not speaking of whack emcees. I'm speaking of Doom sending doubles on scene or an holographic 2Pac with posthumous albums. That is why we need to trip, to let our minds wander sometimes way ahead what we think is acceptable because the industry is in control and use more refined techniques than we think.

Great post Gabanoise_Records You def have a way with words...... I wouldn't be surprised if you were a writer / rapper.

Gabanoise_Records wrote:

I just realized that SkiBeatz will release today his Switch On Bap album made only with modular synths and a hardware sampler. I think this is just what happened. He found a sound source, started tripping on it and then imprinted on it a HipHop structure. But when I say tripping you did understand also it is that moment before framing it all in a recognizable structure, that moment where you ignore your quest but contemplate, manipulate, toy with sound matter.

I'm gonna check this album out (Switch on Bap)! & this is something I do all the time....... just play with sounds without a goal in mind. I try to record these sessions, I love chopping it all up & manipulating the sounds further as samples as well.

Gabanoise_Records wrote:

When I hear the sound now and what I used to hear it is not anymore about challenging the craft of HipHop but more challenging its form. Nowadays HipHop doesn't question anymore technological boundaries. It did when they were characterized by scarcity and imperfections.

That's so true! I never really thought about it that way.... how challenging limitations actually shaped hip hop. But now there really aren't a lot of limitations, so different things are being challenged...... like form. Great insight.

Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 1:26 amPosts: 313Location: Not close enough to a beach

@Sharris Congrats, always wanted an OP-1 and will eventually grab one. You get it used or find one in stock?

I just picked up a Digitone and it’s incredible, was making music first time firing up. Was holding out for the OP-Z but every demo sounded corny and dull. Hopefully not the case but tired of waiting anyways.

@Sharris Congrats, always wanted an OP-1 and will eventually grab one. You get it used or find one in stock?

I just picked up a Digitone and it’s incredible, was making music first time firing up. Was holding out for the OP-Z but every demo sounded corny and dull. Hopefully not the case but tired of waiting anyways.

People are going to think I'm stupid, but I bought it used, with a case & antenna for $950 (it's mint tho.... at least it's supposed to be). I decided to get 1 awhile ago, but for 6 months I've been watching & they go out of stock so fast. Finally saw a place with 3 in stock, but I was $50 short, had the money the next day, but they were already sold.

The Digitone, from what I hear in demos, sounds great, it seems like it has a great workflow as well! Glad you like it Yea, I'm not sure about the op-z the idea of it seems cool, plus TE makes great gear, but I haven't heard anything that amazing from it yet either. Once it's out, there will be more demos, I'm sure we'll get a better idea on how it sounds & everything.

The op-z looks like a bunch of pocket operators smashed together. I don't know what they can do to turn it into something really appealing but, maybe, at this point, TE is turning into something like Apple with a lot of fanboys and stuff. Also, the op1 shortage kinda shoved their "rarity" factor raise and raise. People kinda panic with their products now XD

The op1 is another creature though. It's a mix of everything good on a 4 track, a sampler, synths, sequencers, fx and more stuff.

Two months ago I bought a used Maschine MK1. I couldn't integrate in the way I do things and I'm selling it now and since I bought it cheap, I will have some money to spend on gear. I was looking through some options and nothing inspired me (just cheap stuff). Since I had to sell my sp202, I'm looking for another sampler but don't know if it will really integrate on my workflow (I found a cheap and new Sampletrak). How do you guys decide how to buy stuff?

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